Maewen's dream
by Donna Z
Summary: What happened after Maewen went to find Cennoreth? Dalemark fanfic, please read/review


Maewen ran to the train station. She got some money out of her pocket and stuffed it into the conductor's hand. "One ticket to Dropthwaite, please," she said hurriedly. The conductor nodded and gave her a ticket. She hurried onto the train and found a seat.  
  
Maewen was going to find Mitt. It didn't matter that he had asked her to wait for four years; she couldn't wait. So she was off to speak to Cennoreth to ask her how to find Mitt. Surely it would be difficult. Difficult...  
  
Maewen dozed off into an uneasy sleep.  
  
Several hours later she arrived at Dropthwaite. She hiked to the door of where Cennoreth's house should be. All she saw was an ancient stonewall, covered with vines. Obviously unopened for many years. Cennoreth couldn't be here.  
  
Illogical as it was, Maewen dropped to the ground and started to sob. What was she doing here? She should have stayed at Kernsburgh with her father. In Tannoreth Palace. But Maewen couldn't stay there; Mitt had named Tannoreth Palace for her. She needed to find him, and thank him. And tell him she loved him, as well.  
  
This whole quest was foolish! He was two hundred years old, and she was only thirteen! He had loved her two hundred years ago, but then he had married Biffa and become King Amil the Great. She continued to weep. This whole quest was worthless. She should go back and apologize to her father.  
  
"Mayelbridwen? What are you doing here?"  
  
It was Cennoreth! Suddenly Maewen forgot all about going back home. She turned to the woman who had addressed her. "Why didn't you come to me before?"  
  
The Weaver sighed. "Mayelbridwen, I did not recognize you. It has been two hundred years. Even the undying forget, occasionally. I remembered you when I looked at my loom. The thread was red, just like last time."  
  
"Last time," repeated Maewen blankly. Last time, when Cennoreth had revealed the fact that Maewen was not Noreth to Mitt and Moril.   
  
"Did you wish to ask me a question?" asked Cennoreth. "I owe you a great deal. You helped my brother, earlier today; he came and told me. You gave Osfameron's cwidder back."  
  
Maewen nodded slowly. "How can I find Mitt?"  
  
"Ah, young love! Between the Undying, he is known as The King. You can find him by looking in the library at Tannoreth Palace." She reached into her home. "There is a secret door behind a bookshelf of books dedicated to King Amil the Great. The password is 'Maewen'. I don't know exactly how to find him, but I believe there will a be a clue there. Do be careful, Mayelbridwen!" Cennoreth smiled and ducked back into her cottage.   
  
Maewen nodded to herself. The Undying hadn't helped her directly, but they were guiding her. That made sense. Slowly, she walked back to the train station.  
  
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"Where have you been, Maewen? I was nearly sick with worry!" her father lectured.  
  
Maewen sighed. Her father was very angry with her for just disappearing for several hours. That, and the fact that Tannoreth Palace's deck was now flooded with salt water. Her father had a right to be angry. But, for now, she needed a reasonable excuse. Maewen was a pretty good liar, so she said, "I went to the library to see what could have caused this... it seems like magic. I didn't find anything yet, and I want to go back, but then I realized you would be worried and I came back. And here I am!" she said, feigning cheerfulness.  
  
Maewen's father sighed. "Fine. Come back when the library closes. Wait, were you at the Kernsburgh city library? There's a wonderful library right here in Tannoreth Palace."  
  
Maewen nodded. "Great! I'm there." She ran up to the library.   
  
Quiet as a mouse, Maewen slipped behind the bookshelves. The bookshelf that contained many books about Amil was right in front of her. Maewen sighed and looked at the side view of the bookshelf. There was a thin space behind it, big enough for Maewen to slip through.   
  
Maewen slid her hands across the wall and located the door. She murmured, "It's me, Mitt. Maewen." The door opened. The motion unbalanced her and she fell face forward onto the floor.  
  
"Well, I'm used to having women fall at my feet, but perhaps not quite so literally."   
  
Maewen looked up. And gasped. It was Mitt! "What are you doing here?" she gasped. "I thought...Cennoreth said..."  
  
"What, aren't you happy to see me, Noreth?" he joked. He kneeled down and offered her his hand. "Here, let me help you get up. Noreth, I knew that you wouldn't wait, and I figured you would go to Cennoreth, so I've been waiting here for you."  
  
Still shocked, Maewen's mouth formed the only sentence her brain would permit. "You've been waiting for six hours for me?"  
  
He stared into her eyes with an intensity she didn't remember. "Maewen, I waited two hundred years for you." And he leaned down and kissed her.  
  
She was thirteen, he was two hundred fifteen. They had never kissed before. But somehow, it just seemed...right. Maewen melted into his embrace. They would never again part.  
  
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A/N Maewen, Mitt, Cennoreth, Tannoreth Palace etc. All belong to Diana Wynne Jones.  



End file.
